As the race for the presidential flagbearer of Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 gathers momentum, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports onthe aspirants and the issues that may boost or affect their chances
AS the celebrations to mark the third year anniversary of the current administration headed by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wind up, preparations for the 2019 presidential election move into faster gear across the country, within and outside the registered political parties. To signpost the preparations, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given February 16, 2019 as the date for the next presidential election in the country.
While the ruling APC is not keeping quiet about its willingness to remain in office at the centre beyond May 29, 2019, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), still smarting from the unexpected defeat it suffered in the hands of the APC in 2015, says it is prepared to return to power, having learnt from and corrected the mistakes that cost it victory in 2015.
While the issue of the flagbearer appears almost settled in the ruling party following announcement by Buhari that he will be seeking a second term, the talks in the opposition PDP is still largely about who will be the presidential candidate of the party in 2019. Barely eight months to the much talked about election, the PDP and its leaders, from all indications, are unusually still battling to have an idea of who their likely candidate will be.
The situation, analysts argued, may be counterproductive for the party in its quest to displace Buhari and his party in 2019. Dr. Yakubu Sanda of the Voters’ Right Agenda (VoRA), while speaking with The Nation on the preparedness of the leading political parties ahead of the 2019 general elections, submitted that the APC may have an added advantage over the PDP if the later delays further in unveiling its likely presidential candidate.
“While I concur that there is a timetable and that the primary election is to come later, a deep understanding of the politics of our country will tell you that it is unusual for any leading party to be so unsure of its likely candidate by this time. It will breed confusion and allow the other party with an identifiable possible candidate to run away with some advantages in that the voters can start profiling such candidate ahead of the other.
“In addition, the usual crisis that succeeds primary elections should not be overlooked. If the party’s likely candidate is already profiled as a frontrunner in the contest for the ticket, it reduces the tension generated after the primary as the voters are already anticipatory of his or her possible emergence. These are the issues the PDP should take into cognisance and work harder at arriving at an early decision to balance what Buhari has done for APC,” Sanda said.
But a chieftain of the PDP, Bola Baderinwa, disagrees with Sanda. According to the Third Republic House of Representatives member, the PDP is not losing anything by taking it’s time to recruit the best candidate it can get in 2019. He urged Nigerians to be patient with the opposition party as it is determined to give voters a candidate they will be proud to vote for.
“The country’s economy, security and other social situations have degenerated while under President Buhari’s watch. These are glaring factors Nigerians will be considering when casting their votes next year. As a serious political party, hoping to win the next presidential election, it is important that we ensure that we present a credible alternative to Buhari and that is exactly what we are patiently doing,” he said.
But Chief Kenny Martins, former Chairman of the Police Equipment Trust Fund (PETF), thinks the PDP needs to return to the drawing board and further put its house in order if it is desirous of winning the next election. According to him, presenting a good candidate alone cannot guarantee victory for the opposition party in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election.
“Beyond getting a good candidate, the PDP must solve the many problems it is still battling with. The party had its convention not long ago. It is on record that some governors like Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose forced their will on the party. They want to hold the party as a limited liability company, it is not possible. These are some of the problems of the PDP up till now.
“If they want to present a candidate acceptable to Nigerians, they must put their house in order first, then go and look for a good candidate. Even, a lot of people who left the party won’t like to return unless the party changes its name and some of its ways. PDP has not totally changed from its old ways of doing things. It is important for them to do away with the current landlordship of people like Wike and Fayose.”
How ready is PDP?
Amidst concerns over its readiness to prosecute the next presidential election successfully, chieftains and supporters of the PDP are insisting the party is not lacking in credible aspirants. Many even admit that it may not be an easy task for the party to choose one out of the arrays of heavyweights seeking its presidential ticket for the 2019 general elections.
Sen. Ighoyota Amori is a chieftain of the party and also the Political Adviser to the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus. He is of the opinion that the party has enough credible aspirants that could defeat Buhari. “PDP is a national party. There is no ward, village or unit in this country you will not find PDP, meaning that it is a Nigerian party. Unless you say you cannot find a credible candidate from across the entire country.
“I can tell you that we have more than enough credible candidates or aspirants in PDP for the presidential race. It is already known that the APC has only one candidate which would be President Muhammadu Buhari. PDP has so many aspirants and the best of the aspirants will defeat Buhari in 2019. Our party is ready and equipped to trounce the APC come 2019,” he said.
On his part, another PDP chieftain, who is the only member of the opposition party in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dipo Olorunrinu, wants the PDP to work hard and fast at coming up with a popular presidential candidate in order to reclaim power in the 2019. According to the lawmaker, the opposition party is capable of reclaiming power in the next election.
“It is possible for us to beat the APC in 2019 because nothing is impossible in politics. All we need to do is to speedily conclude on a popular candidate. The PDP should take the bull by the horn by looking critically at the credibility of the candidate it will present. We don’t need a candidate that the party will begin to start selling. We need someone who is already selling himself or herself before the party begins to sell him or her,” he said.
Commenting on the increasing number of aspirants, the lawmaker said, “Though everybody has the democratic right to contest the presidential ticket, the party should also consider experience, background, capability and credibility of would-be candidate. We need to listen to what the people at the grassroots are saying in selecting our candidate. We need to move in the direction people are going.”
While urging the party to be swift in handling the growing number of aspirants, Remi Adiukwu, frontline female politician and chieftain of the PDP, says the party needs a young, vibrant, well-educated and urbane man or woman to stop the APC and Buhari in 2019. We must begin to consider age and strength in electing our leaders. We have numerous youths doing well in their various fields.
“PDP must find someone who knows Nigeria well and can relate with all tribes; a bridge builder and a detribalised character; a new face entirely different from all the old and recycled materials we have jostling for the position now. He or she should be between the age of 45 years and 55 years. This is my dream candidate for PDP. This is the picture in my mind of the president we need now,” she said.
Who will go for PDP?
One of the new presidential aspirants seeking the ticket of the PDP is Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed. First elected in 2003 to the Federal House of Representatives for the Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State, on the platform of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), he was in 2011 elected to represent Kaduna North Senatorial District, after defeating the then incumbent, Senator Ahmed Makarfi of the PDP.
The youthful founder and pro-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, says he is capable of sending incumbent President Buhari back to his hometown, Daura, Katsina State if given ticket as the candidate of the PDP in the 2019 general elections. “Absolutely, it will be easy for me. Do not forget that President Buhari had contested three elections and lost until a certain action by the PDP made many members to exit the party and go to the APC, and made him to win. APC is practically PDP,” he boasted.
Former Governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido, is another PDP chieftain seeking its presidential ticket. He had remained in the party since its formation in 1998 and commenced his 2019 presidential campaign almost immediately the party lost to the APC in 2015. A popular politician in the north, many pundits are of the opinion that he can give Buhari a good fight if given the ticket.
Lamido was appointed as the Foreign Affairs Minister by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, having contested and lost Jigawa State governorship election. He later re-contested the governorship seat and won. He went on to serve two terms as a governor amidst acclaims for repositioning Jigawa State. But some observers frown at his age. Lamido is almost 70 years of age and would have become 71 by the time of the next presidential elections.
Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State, is also eyeing the PDP ticket. There are talks that he is the preferred choice of some party leaders, especially from the northern part of the country. With a sizable political following in the north, especially in Kano, he is seen by many as another man who can do the PDP proud in 2019. He defeated a seating governor in 2003 and went on to govern Kano for eight years.
While explaining the reasons for his desire to be the next president of the country, Shekarau said, “I strongly believe that the people are calling on me to run out of their conviction of contentment and satisfaction based upon the modest successes recorded while I served as the governor of Kano State (2003 to 2011), and also as a Minister of Education.”
Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State, was the caretaker chairman of the PDP who steadied the ship of the troubled party and conducted the last elective convention that brought in the new leadership. There were indications that he is preferred by PDP governors to fly the party’s flag in 2019. But some party sources claim such preference may have been dropped following some recent developments within and outside the party. Nonetheless, he is still seen as a leading contender.
“If I am lucky to be elected by Nigerians, I would make sure that we immediately discuss the nature and timeframe for restructuring. Restructuring is institutional. For a long time, the institutions of state, such as security, have been designed to serve those in power and not the citizens. We must remove them from economic domination,” he said of his presidential ambition.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, returned to the PDP which he left shortly before the 2015 general elections. He wants to be the presidential candidate of his old party and he is not leaving anybody in doubt of his determination. He contested the 1993 presidential primaries under the banner of Social Democratic Party before he was prevailed upon to step down for Chief MKO Abiola. Atiku is highly respected as a political strategist. But, already in his 70s, age is one of his albatrosses also.
“Beyond institutional and administrative reforms to improve operational efficiency of the revenue agencies, the federating units will be challenged to double their efforts in rebuilding the fiscal-social contract, by enhancing service delivery in key areas such as health, education, water supply and infrastructural development. Only this would change the predominant perception that government revenues are diverted to the private bank accounts of politicians and their cronies,” Atiku promises ahead of 2019.
Ibrahim Dankwambo is the governor of Gombe State, serving his second term in office. He was the Accountant-General of the Federation during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. He had earlier served as the Accountant-General of Gombe State. He had stints with Coopers and Lybrand, now PriceWaterHouseCoopers as a Chartered Accountant and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Party sources say his candidacy is currently being strongly considered by his fellow governors. He is also one of the aspirants being considered by some northern leaders and groups for the 2019 race. According to Commissioner for Information in Gombe State, Umar Suleiman, “Nigeria needs Dankwambo’s good financial and management background. If we decide to elect someone without a solid financial background, it will be very difficult for the person to turn around the economy of this nation.” (The Nation )
